Raynham’s James Burns is running as a Tea Party candidate for an open seat on the Raynham Board of Selectmen.

Burns is the only candidate as of Wednesday to take out election papers for the seat currently held by 13-term Selectman Don McKinnon, who recently announced he would not run for another term. Burns, 58, said he is running because he is “the first Tea Party Republican candidate we ever had.”

Burns currently serves on the Raynham Open Space Committee and said he ran for the Board of Selectmen two terms ago but lost to McKinnon. Burns said some of the issues that concern him most are improving the quality of the town’s roads, keeping unemployment low and trying to get more athletic fields built.

“We have a lot of wounded taxpayers, and I want to help them somehow,” said Burns, a native of Taunton who has lived in Raynham for 30 years.

Burns said his list of important Raynham issues includes finishing the town’s $9 million sewer project. He recommends the town do its own work instead of sending it out to bid and having subcontractors do the work. He also said the town should use its $1 million in road construction aid to ensure that traffic lines are painted everywhere in town and to make sure stop signs are everywhere they need to be.

“We also have to do something about the traffic with the money we get,” Burns said.

Burns said he would also work to get a new public safety building for the town.

Burns has worked for 14 years for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation as a machine operator.

He said that he was a Democrat for 40 years, but said he realized he was too conservative for the party. Burns said his daughter convinced him to become a Tea Party Republican when U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., was elected.

“I thought I’d fit better as an ultraconservative being in the Tea Party,” Burns said. “They want the least amount of tax, and that’s what I want. I’m going to try to communicate my idea, not be a radical. I just want to be more frugal with the town’s $23 million budget.”

Burns said that he now promotes Tea Party politics on the Internet, and also supports State Rep. Keiko Orrall, R-Lakeville.

The current Raynham selectmen are all Democrats but say they have not run on the platforms of their political party.

McKinnon said that he is committed to his decision to retire from the board, and said he wanted to remain objective about contenders in the election. But the longtime selectman said he would like to see some competition.

“Actually, I’m rather hoping that that ... there would be a number of people running,” said McKinnon, saying he looks forward to a debate on the issues.

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The last day to take out papers for the election is March 8. The Town Election takes place on April 28.

Burns said he is expecting an uphill battle for the seat.

“They aren’t going to give me a free gift,” Burns said. “I don’t think they are going to let me have it. But we’ll see what happens.”